I scolded her for abusing the system, I plucked it out with a forceps, declined the inevitable request for narcotics (Doc, but it hurts!).

My interaction with her lasted five minutes at most. I do take some small and petty consolation that since she came in with a trivial issue on a busy sunday night, she did have to wait two-plus hours to be seen (despite coming in via ambulance).

I have also seen people come to the ER for a stye and a sunburn (no kidding).

It's a pity the medics don't have the authority to say "no" to inappropriate transports.

I guess I concentrated on the "in the ER for an earring catastrophe" portion of your story. I sort of forgot to be stunned by the ambulance transport thing, which is clearly more amazing. She somehow couldn't get herself to the hospital due to fleshy-ear pain. That's a stunning level of dependence right there. You should send a sympathy card to her husband.

My favourite ED presentation (when I was an ED resident) was a guy who presented three times via ambulance in the same week. The first time was because he'd fractured his pinky finger. The second and third times were because the finger was still sore.

Shadowfax

About me: I am an ER physician and administrator living in the Pacific Northwest. I live with my wife and four kids. Various other interests include Shorin-ryu karate, general aviation, Irish music, Apple computers, and progressive politics. My kids do their best to ensure that I have little time to pursue these hobbies.

Disclaimer

This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.

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